Winter Classic Alumni Game rosters announced: This game will be awesome
by Travis Hughes on Nov 25, 2011 3:24 PM EST
in Philadelphia Flyers News
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PrintThe Flyers announced the full Winter Classic Alumni Game roster just before today's game against the Montreal Canadiens, and well... it's official. This thing is going to be better than the actual Winter Classic. It's even going to be on Versus, eliminating worries that the game wouldn't be broadcast live on TV.
Confirmed Alumni Game participants for your Flyers:
Forwards: Bill Barber, Bob Clarke, Jim Dowd, Orest Kindrachuk, Eric Lindros, Ken Linseman, Dave Poulin, Jeremy Roenick, Al Hill, Bob Kelly, John LeClair, Shjon Podein, Brian Propp, Reggie Leach, Mark Recchi, Rick Tocchet
Defensemen: Terry Carkner, Eric Desjardins, Larry Goodenough, Derian Hatcher, Mark Howe, Brad Marsh, Kjell Samuelsson, Chris Therien, Joe Watson
Goaltenders: Mark LaForest and Neil Little
Coaches: Pat Quinn (head coach), Mike Nykoluk and Keith Primeau (assistant coaches)
Ambassadors (not playing): Gary Dornhoefer, Bernie Parent, Dave Schultz
There's really something for everybody in there. Three Hall of Famers, including the Hall's newest member, Mark Howe. There's the LCB line and two-thirds of the Legion of Doom.
Several former team captains will be on the ice. Mark Recchi, who beat the crap out of the Flyers in the playoffs last year, will be the most fit of the participants. Derian Hatcher and Chris Therien can scare us with their unmatchable foot speed, hopefully not on the same pairing.
The only thing that's really underwhelming on the Flyers side is the goaltenders. Neil Little and Mark LaForest played a combined 40 games for the Flyers during their careers. LaForest played 38 of them. Speaking of underwhelming, though, let's take a look at the Rangers roster.
Goalies: Dan Blackburn, John Vanbiesbrouck
Defensemen: Ron Greschner, Darius Kasparaitis, Tom Laidlaw, Brian Leetch, Dave Maloney, Dale Purinton, Mathieu Schneider
Forwards: Glenn Anderson, Paul Broten, Ron Duguay, Nick Fotiu, Mike Gartner, Adam Graves, Pat Hickey, Kris King, Nick Kypreos, Darren Langdon, Stephane Matteau, Brian Mullen, Darren Turcotte
Coaches: Mike Keenan, Emile Francis, Colin Campbell
Ambassadors: Rod Gilbert, Ed Giacomin, Harry Howell
Not that I'm a Rangers fan, but I can't say I'm terribly excited to see like... any of those guys. Leetch and Graves are cool, I guess, but without Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, I'm a little disappointed. Mike Keenan won a Cup with the Rangers, so you understand why he's on their side and not ours for this one.
Anyway, Messier still could play and hopes to, according to Andrew Gross of the Bergen Record. He's having shoulder surgery and hopes to be recovered in time, but isn't sure if he will be. Hopefully he plays.
What do you think of the rosters, and are you more excited for this or the real game on January 2?
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MARK RECCHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder what Bruins fans think about that…..haha
Diehard Flyers fan living in the heart of Penguins country
by Legion of Bullies on Nov 25, 2011 3:37 PM EST reply actions
If I’m a Bruins fan:
We won the Stanley Cup in June, with Recchi. You can have him for as many old-timers games as you want. Oh, and while I’m thinking, Recchi managed to win a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh, and with Carolina, and he didn’t manage to win it with you guys, nor have any of your other players for the last 37 years. Must have something to do with the team.
/s, more often than not
by flyersfaninchicago on Nov 27, 2011 2:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Sure, he played most of his career in Washington, but Mike Gartner is sixth all-time in goals scored (ahead of Messier, Yzerman, and Lemieux) and won a cup there. Guy gets no love.
Keeping alive the old Vaudeville joke, "I'd rather be dead than play Philadelphia."
Very true.
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by Travis Hughes on Nov 25, 2011 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
JIMMY DOWD!!!
It is a shame Messier probably can’t play … although to me he’ll always be an Oiler first. But really – what is up with those Flyers goalies? If someone is under contract with another club, does that mean that they can’t participate (like Snow or Hextall)?
Maxime Talbot - in the Orange and Black ... better than chocolate and peanut butter!
How is in the Red Wings front office, albeit not in a GM/Assistant GM role so there may not be an official contract involved. It’s possible that they might have needed their organization’s permission to come play and didn’t get it, but I doubt it would have been expressly forbidden to even ask them to play.
Warning: Arguing the NHL CBA with me could be hazardous to your mental health. Proceed at your own risk.
by DragonGirl0583 on Nov 25, 2011 4:20 PM EST up reply actions
I think Hextall can’t come because he has a bad back and can’t play.
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by Travis Hughes on Nov 25, 2011 4:34 PM EST up reply actions
OK, how about Jeff Hackett? Or even Tommy Soderstrom? Bob Esche??? C’mon – Mark LaForest?!?!?!?
Maxime Talbot - in the Orange and Black ... better than chocolate and peanut butter!
by MaximumTalbot on Nov 25, 2011 4:43 PM EST up reply actions
Esche isn’t retired, he’s still playing in Europe.
Warning: Arguing the NHL CBA with me could be hazardous to your mental health. Proceed at your own risk.
by DragonGirl0583 on Nov 25, 2011 6:51 PM EST up reply actions
Esche will be working the concession stand near the 3rd base line.
Spagett.
by WhiskeyDrinker on Nov 25, 2011 11:34 PM EST up reply actions
Oh – thanks.
Maxime Talbot - in the Orange and Black ... better than chocolate and peanut butter!
by MaximumTalbot on Nov 26, 2011 11:04 AM EST up reply actions
Definitely a shame about Messier, and Hexy too.
by Georgia_Flyer on Nov 25, 2011 4:47 PM EST up reply actions
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Jimmy Dowd, but how the hell did he make this team??? Is he working as a scout with the team or something? Didn’t he play one season after making the team on a tryout basis? Also, I’m thrilled to see Shjon Podein is playing. I just always liked him. He wasn’t the most skilled player, but he worked his ass off, and the guy just loved the game. I remember reading an article that said he wore his uniform for a week after winning the cup in Colorado because he didn’t want the feeling of winning the cup to end. It was just an online report, and may very well have been bullshit, but I could totally see him doing that.
Yeah he was only here one year, but it was his last one. I liked Dowd and all, but I’d rather have somebody that was a Flyer a little longer than just one year.
Warning: Arguing the NHL CBA with me could be hazardous to your mental health. Proceed at your own risk.
by DragonGirl0583 on Nov 25, 2011 6:57 PM EST up reply actions
Gartner was something in his day
So that’s not a bad thing for the Rags. But I LOVE the Flyers roster! Propp, Podein, Al Hill for Pete’s sake! Al Hill? That’s so awesome. LCB, Lindros, Dejardins, Recchi, Tocchet, Howe…. Really good job by the club for getting all those guys together.
Beezer playing for the Rangers? Weak sauce.
Jagr shoots, Jagr scores!!!!!!
by Vinny A on Nov 25, 2011 5:18 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Vanbiesbrouck career games played:
NYR: 487
PHI: 118
I really hope nobody expected him to play for the Flyers.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999 and Matt Calvert since May 2010
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
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by Geoff Detweiler on Nov 25, 2011 5:35 PM EST up reply actions
Plus he wasn’t clutch here, definitely not “proven enough” to win a cup for us.
/WIP
Formerly... "You don't have to be sweet, to be good"
by Ed Van Chimp on Nov 25, 2011 7:43 PM EST up reply actions
And with over 100 games for the Flyers I really hope no one expected him to play for the Rangers. It’s not like his time there was memorable, shadowing Richter for the most part. But then again our goalies are an atrocity as well so it’s pretty much a shitshow in net on both sides. Still with Beezer, the rangers certainly don’t come to mind; Florida sure but whatever. If Neil Little is considered alumni then I want an invite to play in the game for showing up to games as a fan.
Jagr shoots, Jagr scores!!!!!!
by Vinny A on Nov 25, 2011 8:49 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
But he was there for 5 years before Richter got to the NHL level, so he was more than Richter’s shadow. The Vezina trophy he won while he was their starting guy might make his time memorable to long-time Rangers fans.
Warning: Arguing the NHL CBA with me could be hazardous to your mental health. Proceed at your own risk.
by DragonGirl0583 on Nov 25, 2011 10:11 PM EST up reply actions
Thank you.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999 and Matt Calvert since May 2010
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor
by Geoff Detweiler on Nov 26, 2011 12:03 AM EST up reply actions
The Flyers goalies are hilarious, given the decade-long narrative. I wonder if they tried to find Pete Peeters.
It’s great that guys like Kindrachuk and Goodenough are playing.
/s, more often than not
by flyersfaninchicago on Nov 26, 2011 1:10 AM EST reply actions
Where the hell is Mikael Renberg? The greatest line of my childhood couldn’t be reunited? What the helll! The official petition will be out very soon…
He was invited but can’t attend.
Flyers Fans: We've survived Lock-outs, Lindros and Cooperalls. If you want to get rid of us, you'll have to split an atom or two.
by KreiderDesigns on Nov 27, 2011 12:02 PM EST up reply actions
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